Klopp says Liverpool will bid €300million to sign Naby Keita

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has jokingly claimed that the Reds will splash as much as €300million in order to acquire the services of Naby Keita.

Liverpool did fantastically well to finish in the top four last season and the Reds will undoubtedly be looking to replicate such a feat during the upcoming Premier League campaign as well.

However, Liverpool were helped last season by the fact that they did not have European football to contend with and with the Merseysiders competing in the Champions League next season, manager Jurgen Klopp will surely have to beef up his squad in order to deal with the added exertions.

Klopp has already made three solid signings so far this summer by acquiring the services of Mohamed Salah, Dominic Solanke and Andrew Robertson but it is clear to see that they need additions in midfield as well as in defence in order to challenge for the title next term.

Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk and Red Bull Leipzig’s Naby Keita have both been strongly linked with moves to Liverpool over the window but the fallen Premier League giants still have not managed to strike a deal for the duo after failing to agree a fee with the players’ respective clubs.

It does look like Liverpool will be able to sign van Dijk for a fee of around £60million but signing Keita has proven to be very complicated as the Reds are already believed to have had bids of around £57million and £66million rejected for the midfielder.

In a further blow to Liverpool’s hopes of signing Kieta RB Leipzig manager Ralph Hasenhüttl made it clear in no uncertain terms that the 22-year-old would not be leaving his side this summer.

Hasenhüttl had said, “The chance [of Keïta leaving] is null. It’s 100 per cent clear that Naby will play this year in Leipzig. At the beginning of the transfer period we said we would start with the same team and of the players we had last year no one will go. That would be our answer now also.

“For us everyone can see how important Naby Keïta is for our game. It’s 100 per cent sure that he will be with RB Leipzig in the Champions League. Until next summer we keep it closed and then we have a look.

“I said for all the players it is very important to stay together as it’s the first time we play Champions League and that is a new situation for every one of us. We have very young players and I think for them it is very important to play the first year in the Champions League as a team. We will learn this very much again this year.

“Keïta is more focused on us and has more fun now than last year. He knows this season will be fantastic for us. To play Champions League for Naby Keïta is a great thing.”

Despite Hasenhüttl’s emphatic hands off warning, Klopp was questioned about a move for Keita recently and the German manager jokingly replied that he would now bid €300million in order to lure the Guinean to Anfield.

It does look like Liverpool have now given up on their hopes of signing Keita and missing out on the talented midfielder can be viewed as a huge blow for the Reds.